The invention is related to the field of managing computer data storage systems.
Computer data storage systems have evolved into complex arrangements of specialized elements that are coupled together, such as in a modern storage-area network (SAN). A SAN, for example, includes host computers running application programs with storage requirements, such as for file systems and databases. The SAN further includes dedicated storage devices, often termed “arrays”, that are packaged into cabinets and are physically and functionally separate from the host computers. The hosts and storage devices are coupled together by a high-speed data network which includes transmission lines and switches.
Because of the complexity and size of SANs, specialized software tools are used to assist a storage system administrator in managing the configuration and operation of the SAN. An example of such storage management tools includes a suite of tools known as “EMC Control Center” sold by EMC Corporation. These tools include a wide variety of management-related features, including controls that enable a system administrator to configure storage and establish channels between the hosts and respective storage devices allocated for use by the hosts, and include monitoring functions for gathering many types of information about system operation, including for example the amount of allocated storage actually used by the respective hosts, the amount of storage traffic flowing through switches or into/from storage devices, the presence of faults or other reportable conditions in the system, etc.
One aspect of SAN management is generally referred to as “zoning”, and involves the establishment of “zones” that define access-control groupings of host computers and storage devices of the SAN. When a set of zones (referred to as a “zone set”) is active in the SAN, the access control is enforced by switches in the SAN such that the host computer of each zone of a zone set is allowed to access the storage devices of the same zone and not allowed to access storage devices of other zones of the zone set. This type of access control is fairly high-level or coarse, and can be used in conjunction with other known access-control techniques to implement an overall desired access-control regime for a SAN.